ACHIEVING OUR GOAL IN IRAQ
(House of Representatives - February 12, 1998)

HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

in the House of Representatitves

February 12, 1998

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, we are being warned of possible military action against the Government of Iraq , and I remember well the last time, or should I say the first time, because there have probably been some other military actions against Iraq in the meantime, but back in 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and so began our special relationship with the people of Kuwait, let us note that after hundreds of thousands of Americans have spent time in the Persian Gulf and after our Nation has put its entire prestige on the line that we cannot permit Saddam Hussein now to reverse what we won back in 1990 and 1991.

If we do that, if we permit Saddam Hussein to, for example, conduct a successful lightening strike against Kuwait, against the people of Kuwait, or if we permit Saddam Hussein to blatantly stockpile weapons of mass destruction, the United States will lose any ability to influence events anywhere in the world. No petty tyrant or no people seeking freedom or no opponent or adversary or friend will trust our word again, because even Saddam Hussein has made a laughing stock of the United States of America.

So, first and foremost, let us recognize there is a special relationship with the people of Kuwait that for the rest of our lives we will have, because if that war is reversed, America will lose its ability to determine events around the world, and Americans, when we lose this power as the leading power of the world, we will pay a dear price.

But I hope, if military action does take place, that we do not make the mistake that we made last time. Hundreds of thousands of people, or upwards to 200,000 Kuwaitis were killed during the last war. Saddam Hussein managed to escape. And I remember during the planning phases of the last war I said to Dick Cheney and Colin Powell personally that they would have my support because American troops were in harm's way, and I would support them in that effort to protect the lives of Americans and to make sure it was a successful mission. But as I told them at that time, when this is over, make sure Saddam Hussein is dead.

And I hope that if have to take further military actions against the people of Iraq that we do not waste our weaponry on ordinary citizens, on people who probably like the United States of America; and I hope that our goal is not simply containing Saddam Hussein or punishing him. Our goal should be the overthrow and elimination, one way or the other, of Saddam Hussein.

First and foremost, if we are willing to commit our military to that part of the world, we should at least be able to declare this man a war criminal. After all, he was an environmental criminal, an eco-criminal, for what he did to the environment, the destruction of the oil wells and the seas and the other pollution that he caused back then, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of lives that he caused to die, the people he caused to die because of his aggression. And if he commits other acts of aggression and does not go along with the agreement, we should make sure that we declare him a war criminal and that the goal of our action is not punishing the Iraqi people, but working with the Iraqi people in order to help them establish a government that is responsive to their will.

Who knows if it would be an absolute democracy or not, but if the people of Iraq who live under the oppression of Saddam Hussein had the ability to direct

their own government, there would be no problem because they would not risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of their family in order to make a point of the way a dictator, the way a brutal egotistical dictator like Saddam Hussein does.

As I say, we are tied to the people of Kuwait because the people of Kuwait now, having saved them once, if we permit them again to be taken over by this tyrant, not only will be lose those people, but we will lose our ability to maintain peace throughout the world, a dreadful price that we cannot afford to pay.

So I wish the President of the United States guidance from God and support from the United States Congress, as much as this Congressman can do to make sure that we are doing the right thing, only this time I would hope the President of the United States, unlike George Bush, does the job right and completes the job before bringing our troops home. And I would hope that hundreds of thousands of troops do not need to be sent there, but instead, this could be handled in a better way than that perhaps.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pitts). The time of the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) has expired.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I would ask unanimous consent for 2 more minutes.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair cannot entertain an extension of time during a 5-minute special order period.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Appealing the ruling of the Chair, Mr. Speaker, the Chair on many occasions has extended unanimous consent for an extension of 2 minutes.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is a question of recognition. A 5-minute special order may not be extended.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Yes, that is correct. But last night I was given a 5-minute unanimous-consent request.